It usually starts with a guilt-text from a client: “I asked ChatGPT for a dog walker near me and it gave me three names… I didn’t see you.” In pet services, that stings because your business isn’t just a commodity—people are choosing who gets keys to their home, who handles a reactive dog, and who shows up when they’re out of town. The good news is you can influence whether AI tools mention you. It’s less about “gaming” ChatGPT and more about making your business easy to verify, easy to summarize, and obviously trustworthy.
What it actually means to “show up” in ChatGPT
ChatGPT isn’t a single directory where you “submit your business.” When people ask for local recommendations (“best dog walker in South Tampa” or “pet sitter that’s bonded and insured”), AI systems pull from signals that already exist across the web, such as:
- Your Google Business Profile (GBP) information, photos, and reviews
- Other trusted listings (Apple Maps, Bing Places, Yelp, Nextdoor, and pet-specific directories)
- Your website content (services, service area, pricing context, policies, trust credentials)
- Mentions of your brand on local pages (neighborhood sites, rescue partners, groomer associations, sponsorships)
- Consistent business identity data (name, address/service area, phone number, website)
So the real question behind “How do I get my pet services business in ChatGPT?” is:
How do I create enough clear, consistent, credible proof that an AI feels safe recommending me to a nervous pet owner?
If you want a deeper explanation of how different AI tools generate answers (and why results vary), read: ChatGPT vs AI Overviews vs Grok vs Perplexity: What's the Deal?.
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Start with your “trust footprint” (it matters more in pet care than most industries)
Pet services has a unique challenge: customers are evaluating risk. They’re thinking about escape doors, medication schedules, bite history, and whether you’ll actually show up twice a day during holiday travel.
Because 67% of US households have pets and pet spending is now over $100B annually, there are plenty of options—app-based platforms, independent walkers, and small local teams. The businesses that show up in AI recommendations tend to have the strongest trust footprint:
- Bonded and insured
- Background checked
- Pet first aid certified
- References available (and easy to verify)
- Clear policies (keys, access, emergency vet authorization, cancellations, weather)
Make sure these trust signals are not buried on page seven of your site or only mentioned in a single Instagram highlight. Put them where AI (and people) can easily find them: your GBP, your website header/footer, your “About” page, and your service pages.
Get your Google Business Profile dialed in for pet-specific searches
If your Google Business Profile is incomplete or confusing, you’re leaving the “easy wins” on the table. Many AI recommendations heavily reflect what GBP already understands about your business.
Here’s what to fix first:
Choose categories that match what people ask for
Pick the most accurate primary category. Then add secondaries that you truly offer. For pet care professionals, common categories may include (availability varies by market):
- Dog walker
- Pet sitter
- Pet groomer
- Pet boarding (only if you do it)
- Waste management service / Pet waste removal (if available)
Don’t add categories just to rank. If you don’t do grooming, don’t select it—AI summaries often repeat category claims.
List services like a menu, not a mystery
Many pet businesses use vague descriptions like “We love your pets like our own.” That’s nice, but it doesn’t answer what people type into AI:
- 30-minute and 60-minute dog walks (mention exercise expectations—many dogs need 30–60 minutes daily)
- Drop-in visits (feeding, meds, litter, playtime)
- Overnight pet sitting
- Pet transportation (vet runs, airport pickup coordination, daycare transport)
- Pet waste removal (weekly, bi-weekly, one-time yard cleanups)
- Grooming options (bath, nail trim, deshed, sanitary trim—only if applicable)
Add service areas that match how customers think
People don’t search “within 6 miles of my home.” They search neighborhoods and towns. Add the areas you actually serve, and be honest about boundaries—especially if holiday traffic or bridge tolls affect availability.
Upload photos that prove your business is real
Skip stock photos of golden retrievers in perfect lighting. Use images that validate reality and safety:
- You in branded gear on actual walks
- Leash setups, harnesses, safety tethers (if you use them)
- Your grooming space (clean, well-lit, organized)
- Your pet waste removal setup (sealed bins, clean tools)
- Team photos if you have staff (helps with trust and verification)
Reviews are your “AI resume”—and pet reviews need to be specific
In pet services, reviews do double duty: they influence humans and help AI confidently summarize what you do. A wall of “Amazing!!!” doesn’t tell an AI whether you handle anxious dogs, senior pets, or mid-day visits for busy professionals.
Focus on three review levers:
1) Consistent new reviews (not just a big total)
A pet sitter with 25 reviews that include the last 60 days can look more active than a business with 300 reviews but none since last summer. Holiday travel peaks and summer vacation season create surges—use those moments to build review momentum.
2) Encourage “detail-rich” language (without scripting)
You can’t control what clients write, but you can prompt them. After a successful service, send a simple text:
“If you’re willing, could you mention what service we helped with (like 30-min walks, drop-ins with meds, grooming, or yard cleanup) and what neighborhood you’re in?”
That naturally produces keywords AI recognizes: “dog walking,” “administered insulin,” “handled my reactive shepherd,” “weekly poop scooping,” plus location.
3) Respond like a pet care professional, not a corporation
When you reply, include a touch of service specificity. Example:
“Thanks, Jamie—glad the lunchtime drop-ins worked with your work schedule, and happy we could keep Luna’s meds consistent while you traveled.”
Those responses reinforce what you do and how you operate.
Build a website that answers the questions pet owners actually ask AI
A “cute” website is fine, but AI visibility usually improves when your site is explicit. People ask practical, anxious questions—your website should be the best source to answer them.
Create separate pages for your core revenue services
Instead of one generic “Services” page, build focused pages for what you sell, with real details:
- Dog walking (30/60 minutes, solo vs. group, weather policy, leash safety)
- Pet sitting (drop-ins, overnights, visit frequency options, home security steps)
- Grooming (what’s included, matting policy, vaccination requirements if any)
- Pet waste removal (schedule options, gate access, disposal approach)
- Pet transportation (carrier requirements, vet coordination, wait-time policy)
Include realistic pricing context without bait. Typical value ranges like $20–$50 per walk and $50–$100/day for sitting help set expectations (even if your exact rates vary by pet count, distance, and holiday surcharges).
Add an FAQ section that mirrors real prompts
This is where pet businesses can outshine app-based competitors. Good FAQ topics include:
- “How do you handle dogs that pull or are reactive on walks?”
- “Are you bonded and insured? What does that cover?”
- “Can you administer medications or injections?”
- “What happens if my flight is delayed during holiday travel?”
- “Do you require a meet-and-greet before pet sitting?”
- “How do you access my home and protect my keys/alarm codes?”
- “Do you walk in extreme heat or icy conditions?”
Answer plainly, like you would during a meet-and-greet. Avoid fluff—clarity builds trust.
Make your proof easy to spot
Somewhere obvious (homepage, about page, and relevant service pages), list your trust signals:
- Bonded and insured
- Background checked
- Pet first aid certified
- References available
- Emergency plan (what you do if a pet is sick or a door is ajar)
Get corroborated around the web (the right mentions beat “more mentions”)
AI recommendations get easier when your business is consistently referenced in places that look legitimate. Your goal isn’t to be everywhere—it’s to be in the places a cautious pet owner would expect.
Claim and correct the big platforms
At minimum, ensure accuracy on:
- Google Business Profile
- Apple Maps
- Bing Places
- Yelp
- Nextdoor (if it’s active in your area)
If you also use app-based lead platforms, keep those profiles aligned with your official name and phone number. Inconsistencies can cause AI tools to “split” your identity into multiple businesses.
Earn local trust mentions that fit pet care
Ideas that are specifically strong for pet services:
- Rescue or shelter partner pages (transport help, foster support, donation sponsors)
- Local vet clinic resource pages (some list preferred walkers/sitters)
- Neighborhood HOA or apartment community vendor lists (great for dog walking routes)
- Community event sponsorships (pet adoption days, fun runs, dog park cleanups)
A handful of solid, real-world mentions can be more valuable than dozens of random directory listings.
Check what AI says about you (and correct the gaps)
This step is simple and surprisingly revealing. Once a week, run 6–10 prompts and record what comes back. Examples:
- “Best dog walker in [City/Neighborhood] for high-energy dogs”
- “Bonded and insured pet sitter near [Zip Code]”
- “Pet waste removal weekly service in [City]”
- “Groomer that’s good with anxious dogs in [Area]”
- “Pet taxi to the vet in [City]”
Look for problems you can fix:
- Wrong phone number or old business name
- Missing services (you do pet transport, but AI never mentions it)
- Incorrect service area boundaries
- Competitors getting recommended because they have clearer reviews or a stronger website page for that service
If you want software that monitors how your business appears across AI tools and gives you a concrete improvement list, that’s what Pantora is built for.
A 7-day action plan for pet care professionals
You can knock this out between walks, grooms, and drop-ins:
- Clean up your Google Business Profile
- Correct category, hours, service areas, service list, booking link.
- Make your business info identical everywhere
- Same name, phone, website, and address/service-area settings across top listings.
- Request 5 reviews from your best clients
- Ask right after a successful walk week or a smooth sitting booking.
- Respond to your newest 10 reviews
- Mention service type and location naturally.
- Improve one money page on your website
- Dog walking or pet sitting first, then grooming/waste removal/transport.
- Add 8–12 FAQs
- Include safety, meds, keys, weather, and holiday travel coverage.
- Claim or fix 3 non-Google listings
- Apple Maps and Bing Places are quick wins; add Yelp if it’s common in your market.
When you still don’t appear, it’s usually one of these reasons
If you’ve done the basics and AI still ignores you, the issue tends to be predictable:
- Your service area is vague (AI can’t tell if you truly serve that neighborhood)
- Your reviews aren’t recent or detailed enough compared to competitors
- Your website doesn’t clearly separate services (AI can’t confirm you offer pet transport or waste removal)
- Your trust signals aren’t visible (bonded/insured, background checked, first aid)
- App-based competitors have more “structured” proof (lots of standardized reviews and profiles)
The fix isn’t a secret trick—it’s strengthening the signals AI can verify.
For more marketing ideas that lean into how AI is changing lead flow (without turning you into a full-time marketer), see: AI-Driven Lead Generation Strategies for Home Service Businesses.
The practical next step
Pet owners will keep using ChatGPT like a shortcut to trust—especially during holiday travel peaks and summer vacation season when they need help fast. If your listings are consistent, your reviews read like real pet-care outcomes, and your website clearly explains what you do (and how safely you do it), you give AI a straightforward reason to recommend you. That’s how you stop losing “AI referrals” to whoever happens to be easiest to verify.